Australasian ants of the subfamily Heteroponerinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): (2) the species-group of Heteroponera relicta (Wheeler), with descriptions of nine new species and observations on morphology, biogeography and phylogeny of the genus
Author
Taylor, Robert W.
text
Zootaxa
2015
3947
2
151
180
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3947.2.1
1175-5326
CEAB4AA5-C4F8-437E-A2F4-D82F383579C1
Genus
Heteroponera
Mayr 1887
See Bolton
et al.
(2007) for synonymy and taxonomic history. The generic epithets
Paranomopone
Wheeler, 1915
and
Anacanthoponera
Wheeler, 1923, are established junior synonyms of
Heteroponera
(Brown, 1952)
.
Heteroponera
has been discussed by several past authors as a possible junior synonym of
Acanthoponera
Mayr 1862
.
Heteroponera
may be identified in Australia using the keys of Hoelldobler & Wilson (1990), Bolton (1994) and Shattuck (1999), notably regarding distinction from the ectatommine genus
Rhytidoponera
. Note however that some small sympatric
Rhytidoponera
species (relatives of
Rhytidoponera tenuis
Forel
—see Brown, 1958, Appendix: notes 15, 16, 27.) commonly present in North Queensland berlesates and other bulk samples which include
H. relicta-
group specimens, lack allegedly diagnostic supplementary teeth on the pretarsal claws, but are otherwise readily discriminated from
Heteroponera
.